Litter handling mechanism



May 24, 1955 R. w. WATERSTREET 2,709,063

LITTER HANDLING MECHANISM v Filed March 1, 1950 2 Sheets-Shem 1 INVENTOR. R0) w WflTf/RS T/PEE 7 HTTO/P/VE) R. W. WATERSTREET LITTER HANDLING MECHANISM May 24, l 955 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed March 1, 1950 INVENTOR. kor w WAITERS 7/9557 United States Patent LITTER HANDLING MECHANISM Roy W. Waterstreet, Kewaunee, Wis.

Application March 1, 1950, Serial No. 147,077

11 Claims. (Cl. 254-173) This invention relates generally to winches and particularly to a winch for use in dairy barns where litter gutters are provided. It also relates to a novel barn cleaning system.

It is an object of my invention to provide a winch which may at all times be under the control of the operator, that is, in which the stroke or range of the movement of a litter scoop, drawn by said winch, may be varied at the will of the operator.

It is another object of my invention to provide a winch that is controlled by means including the working chain or cable.

It is still anotherobject of my invention to provide a winch that is operatively responsive to a pull or jerk on the Working chain or cable.

It is yet another object of my invention to provide a winch including a displaceable winding drum and gear assembly operative to be engaged with and disengaged from a driving pinion gear.

It is a further object of my invention to provide a winch comprising a winding drum and driving pinion that are relatively displaceable and engageable.

It is still a further object of my invention to provide a winch comprising a displaceable winding drum, operative to engage with driving means, including a control lug on the working cable and linkage means associated with the drum operative to disengage the drum from the driving means and reset the winch preparatory for another cycle of operations.

It is yet a further object of my invention to provide a barn cleaning apparatus embodying an ascending ramp disposed between the gutter and the conveyor, thereby eliminating a pit to receive the lower receiving end of the conveyor.

It is another object of my invention to provide a barn cleaning apparatus wherein a winch is mounted on the conveyor; and wherein the driving means, which are also mounted on the conveyor, drive both the winch and the conveyor.

It is a final object of my invention to provide a simple, durable, inexpensive, and economical power operated winch, and a barn cleaning system, which have no time intricate parts, and in which replacements or repairs can be cheaply and readily made.

Other objects and many of the attendant advantages of this invention will be readily appreciated as the same become better understood by reference to the following detailed description when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings in which like reference numerals designate like parts throughout the figures thereof and wherein: I

Fig. 1 shows an isometric view of a preferred embodiment;

Fig. 2 shows a side elevational view of the shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 shows a front elevational view of the apparatus shown in Fig. l; and

apparatus Fig. 4 is a fragmentary part sectional view of a d airy 2,709,068 Patented May 24, 1955 barn showing my improved litter handling system, the section being taken through a gutter.

Referring now to the drawings, wherein like reference characters designate like or corresponding parts throughout the several views, there is shown a Winch generally indicated at 10, and a fabricated base frame generally indicated at 11, comprising a pair of spaced longitudinal angle irons 12 and 13, and a pair of spaced transverse angle irons 14 and 15 secured to said longitudinal members as by Welding, to form the square base frame 11.

Intermediate the ends of said frame are provided companion pairs of short upstanding spaced brackets 1617, and 18-19 (not shown), mounted on each of the side angle iron members. Said spaced bracket elements are centrally apertured, oppositely aligned, and fixed to the side frame members as by Welding.

A U-shaped drum frame member 21, having downwardly projecting legs 22 and 23 received between said spaced brackets 16-17 and 1819, is pivotally connected thereto by means of pins 24. The ends of the legs 22 and 23 are spaced from the tops of the side angle irons 12 and 13 as at 25 to allow the U-shaped member to oscillate fore and aft through a small predetermined angle to be hereinafter described.

Displaceable winding means, such as a spool-like winding drum 26 having side flanges 27 and 28, is rotatably mounted on a shaft 29 journalled in the legs of the drum frame member 21.

Mounted around flange 28, and welded thereto, is a spur gear 31 engageable with a driving pinion gear 32 mounted rotatively-rigid on drive shaft 33 journalled in bearing blocks 34 and 35 which are secured to the base or by bolts or any other means. In the normal and inoperative position, the spur gear 31 and the pinion gear 32 are not engaged. They become operatively related when the frame 21 and its associated drum gear 31 are angularly displaced forwardly, pivoting about pin 24, sufficiently to engage drum gear 31 with pinion 32. The angle of a displacement is determined by the movement necessary to have gear 31 enmesh with pinion gear 32.

Reset means comprising a pair of push rods 36 and 37 have one end rotatably mounted on the ends of drum shaft 29, the other ends being provided with cam followers 38 and 39 which are engageable with eccentric disc cams 41 and 42 mounted rotatively-rigid on drive shaft 33 which also functions as a cam shaft. Said push rods oscillate between and are guided by the legs of elongated U-shaped elements 43 and 44. The upper limit of movement of the push rods known as the normal inoperative position is determined by the closed ends 45 of said elongated U-shaped elements, and the lower limit of travel known as the operative position is determined by stop rollers 46 mounted across the legs of said U-shaped elements. The stop rollers 46 are disposed so that when the push rods 36 and 37 rest on the rollers 46, the cam followers 38 and 39 are engageable with cams 41 and 42, respectively. Securement of the elongated U-shaped elements is acomplished by welding the ends of the legs to the tops of the base side members, or by any conventional detachable means such as screws or bolts.

A pair of pins 47, and 48 (not shown), fixedly attached to legs 22 and 23 of the drum frame 21, pivotally support a pair of rocker arms 49 and 51 which support there across a roller 52 journalled therein as by journals 53 and 54. Brace 55, welded or bolted across the arms 49 and 51, holds said arms in spaced relation. Said brace is provided with cars 56 and 57 having adjustable stop screws 58 and 59 that limit the backward travel'of a shallow U--shaped trip bar 61 pivotally mounted on'journals $3 and 54 and disposed in a spaced relation above said roller. In its normal and inoperative position the trip bar is spaced forwardly from said stop screws. The

trip bar and the following associated mechanism function as control means for disposing the push rod into engagement with said cam. A pair of extension arms 62 and 63, welded to the legs of said trip bar 61, have outwardly projecting end portions 64 and 65 that slidingly engage with push rods 36 and 37, respectively. Lift bars 66 and 67 are secured to said push rods and are disposed over the end portions of said extension arms to be liftably engaged therewith. The push rods and their associated cam followers are normally held in an inoperative position away from the cooperating eccentric disc cams 41 and 42 through means of the tension springs 68 and 69 acting through the extension arms and the lift bars. One end of the tension springs is connected to corresponding eye-bolts 71 threadcdly engaged with each of the extension arms 62 and 63, and the other end is connected to eye-bolts 72 and 73 passing through an aperture in lugs 74- and 75 and threadedly engaging with adjustable nuts 76 and 77, respectively. The lugs 74 and 75 are welded to the rocker arms, respectively.

Tension springs 78 and 79 connected to the rearward ends of rocker arms 49 and 51, and to corresponding fixed lugs 81, and 32 (not shown), through means of adjustable eye bolts 83, and 34 (not shown), respectively, bias and counterbalance the forward ends of said rocker arms, upwardly, stopped by the abutment of the associated push rods against ciosed ends 45 of elements 43 and 44.

Latch members 35 and S6, pivotally mounted on pins 47 and 48, are each provided with a notch 87 that engages with a slot edge 83 provided on each of the upright members S9 and 91. A pair of spaced pins 92 and 93 are fixed in the ends of the rocker arms, operative to transmit a latching and unlatching force from said rocker arms to said latch members 85 and S6. Springs 94 and 95, disposed at an acute angle to the longitudinal axes of latches 85 and 86, have one end connected to eye-bolts 96, and 97 (not shown), that are threadedly engaged to upright members 89 and 91, and the other end connected to eye-bolts 98 and 99 secured to the ends of said latches through means of adjusting nuts 101 and 192, respec- A cable such as a rope, chain, belt, or any other flexible hauling or hoisting means, or the like, a chain 103 being preferred in the present embodiment, has one end trained around and secured to the winding drum 26 as by a screw 110, and passes over roller 52 and thence outwardly and remotely to a scoop metallic 104, see Fig. 4, connected to the end thereof as by welding.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary part sectional view of a dairy barn showing my improvd litter handling system, the section being taken through one of the gutters. A gutter, having a bottom 105 and sides 106, is provided in the dairy barn constructed with a foundation 107 and an end wall 108. In the wall, at the end of the trough, a discharge opening 109, is provided. A small ramp memher 111 communicates with the end portion of the gutter and discharges the litter through the opening 109 and onto the receiving end of an elevating conveyor generally indicated at 112. The ramp, having side portions, also serves as an extension of the gutter.

Conveyor 112 comprises spaced side frame members 113 supporting rollers 114 and 115 journalled in the ends thereof. An endless belt 116 is provided around the rollers, said belt having fixed cleats 117 on the face thereof. The lower or receiving end of the conveyor is disposed under the discharge lip 118 of the ramp 111, and is carried by a pair of spaced brackets 119 having bearings for receiving the roller shaft ends therein. The brackets are mounted to the dairy barn foundation 107, and the end wall 108, as by bolts 121. The upper or discharge end of the conveyor is supported by a pair of braces 122 welded to the conveyor frame sides and secured to the barn and wall 108 by bolts 123.

The winch base 11 is mounted on the conveyor by means of legs 124 welded to said base and said conveyor, and it supports the winch, diagrammatically shown, and generally indicated at 10, Fig. 4.

A motor 126, also mounted on said base 11, drives the winch through means of a belt 127 and a sheave 128 mounted rotatively-rigid on said drive shaft 33; said motor also drives the conveyor belt 116 through means of a belt 129 and a sheave 131 mounted rotatively-rigid on the shaft of roller 115.

A control lug 133 comprising a flanged sleeve receives the chain therethrough and the chain is secured therein by means of a pin 134. The control lug is of a dimensional size so as not to pass between the roller 52 and the trip bar 61, but will contact the trip bar and pivot it counterclockwise around journals 53 and 54 as the chain is being drawn around the winding drum. The control lug is disposed along the length of the chain so that it will contact the trip bar at the time the scoop has reached a pre selected point, usually when the scoop has discharged the litter onto the conveyor.

Operation.The normal non-operating position of the winch is as shown in Fig. 2, the winch gear 31 being latched in a non-engaging position away from the driving pinion gear 32 by means of latch member having its notch 87 in interlocked engagement with slot edge 88. Also, springs 78 and 79 overbalance the forward portions of rocker arms 49 and 51 and thereby dispose the associated trip bar 61 and push rods 36 and 37 into their normally inoperative position, ready for actuation.

When the motor switch is closed the drive shaft 33 and its pinion will be rotatively driven by motor 126 through means of belt 127 and sheave 128.

At this time the conveyor 112 will also be set in motion by said motor through means of belt 129 and sheave 131.

Thus the motor furnishes the operating power for both the winch and the conveyor, both of which are set in motion at the outset of a cycle of operation.

Assume now that the drum is wound with a considerable number of turns of the working chain or cable, resulting from the scoop having been hauled or drawn in from a previous cycle of operation.

Since approximately a ten foot section of gutter litter constitutes a load, the operator pulls back on the cable and places the scoop 104 in the gutter in the rear of the first ten foot section of the litter,

During the manual pulling back of the scoop, the winding drum rotates freely, responsive to said pull, and pays out the chain. A small friction brake, consisting of a screw 135 threadedly engaged with frame 21 and having its end bearing against drum flange 27, provides means for preventing over-run and back-lash that would result in the fouling of the chain or cable if not provided for.

The placement of the scoop behind a ten foot section of the litter is accompanied with a hard pull, or a jerk or a snap of the cable, that reacts against supporting roller 52, thrusting downwardly said roller. As a result of said thrust and resulting movement, the supporting rocker arms 49 and 51 are pivoted clockwise about pins 47 and 48, against the tension of springs 78 and 79, respectively.

Henceforth, the operation of the winch will be described in relation to the component members on one side only, it being obvious that the corresponding members on the opposite side of the winch act similarly and in unison therewith.

The lost motion travel between pin 92 and the lower edge of latch 85, allows the rocker arm 49 to accelerate pivotally, whereafter it violently strikes and raises the latch 85, thereby releasing it from its interlocked engagement with upright member 89, and allowing the winding drum assembly to pivot forwardly about pivot 24, urged by the horizontal component of the tension of spring 94, and resulting in the engagement and enmeshment of drum gear 31 with pinion gear 32.

Fig. 2 shows the initial latched status of the winch; and the isometric Fig. 1 shows the status of the winch after the unlatching step but just before the forwardly pivoting drum assembly and drum gear 31 has become enmeshed with the driving pinion gear 32. When the enmeshment of the gears is complete, the rocker arm will be disposed substantially horizontally, and further pivotal movement of the drum assembly is arrested by the abutment of the mesh adjusting screw 136 against upright member 89.

At the first indication of gear engagement, the drum gear 31 immediately commences to rotate because the driving pinion gear is continually rotating, its movement having been started with the starting of motor 126.

As the drum gear rotates, its attached winding drum likewise rotates, resulting in the chain being wound around the drum and the consequential pulling forward of the scoop and its load of litter.

This forward action continues until the litter is pulled up the ramp ill and is discharged therefrom onto the moving elevator belt 116 which carries said litter to the upper end of the elevator and discharges it overboard into a litter hauling vehicle therebelow.

At the instant the last of the litter approaches the top of the ramp ill, the stop control element 133 engages the trip bar 61 and pivots it backwardly about pin 53, resulting in a downward pivotal displacement of push rod 36, through means of extension arm 62. Consequently, the cam follower 38, on the end of push rod 36, engages with eccentric disc cam 41 and is thrust backwardiy thereby, resulting in the drum assembly being pivoted backwardly about pivot 24 and the ensuing disengagement of drum gear 31 from the driving pinion gear 32. The rotation of the winding drum immediately stops; and the forward movement of scoop 104 thereby terminates.

Said backward displacement of the drum assembly causes the latch to slide on the slot edge 88 until the latch notch 87 engages and interlocks therewith, being urged into engagement by the tension of spring 94, and also by spring 78 acting through pin 93, thus restoring and resetting the winch to its initial inoperative status.

This cycle of operations is repeated for any litter loads remaining in the gutter.

The purpose of this invention is to provide a winch that is operatively responsive to a jerk on the working chain or cable; to provide a winch having a pivotally displaceable winding drum assembly that is engageable with a driving pinion; to provide a winch having a pivotally displaceable winding drum assembly that is unlatchably responsive to a jerk on the working cable; to provide a winch that can be disengaged from its driving means and reset to its initial status through means of a control lug on the working cable and linkage actuated by said driving means; toprovide a bar cleaning apparatus having a winch mounted on an elevating conveyor; to provide a short ramp communicating from the litter gutter to the conveyor; and to provide a barn cleaning apparatus wherein a winch is mounted on a conveyor, and wherein a driving motor is also mounted on said conveyor for driving both the conveyor and the winch;

Obviously many modifications and variations of the present invention are possible in the light of the above teachings. it is therefore to be understood, that within the scope of the appended claims, the invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically described.

What is claimed and desired to be protected by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. A winch, comprising: a base; a drive shaft rotatably mounted on said base; a pair of spaced cams mounted rotatively-rigid on sm'd shaft; a pinion mounted r0- tatively-rigid on said shaft; a frame having a pair of spaced legs pivotally mounted on said. base; a winding drum rotatabiy mounted on said spaced legs; a gear mounted rotatively-rigid with said drum, said gear being engageable with said pinion, and normally spaced therefrom; a pair of rocker arms pivotally mounted on said legs, respectively, said rocker arms extending rearwardly and forwardly of its pivot point; a roller rotatabiy supported by said rocker arms, said roller being disposed upwardly of said drum; a trip bar pivotally supported by said rocker arms and disposed in spaced relation to said roller; a pair of push rods pivotally mounted on said legs, respectively, the free ends of said push rods being engageable with said cams, and normally spaced therefrom; a pair of members having one end fixed to said trip bar and the other end slideably engaged with said push rods, respectively, operative to communicate a pivotal movement from said trip bar to said push rods; lift bars on said push rods, respectively, disposed to be liftably engaged by said members; a pair of tension springs connecting said rocker arms and said members, respectively, operative to yieldably hold said associated trip bar and push rods in an inoperative position; containing means on said base for limiting the pivotal movements of said push rods; a second pair of tension springs connecting said base and the rearward portions of said rocker arms, respectively, operative to counterbalance the forward portions of said rocker arms and their associated assemblages; a pair of latch means on said frame controlled by a pivotal movement of said rocker arms, respectively, for detachably holding the winding drum and its associated gear in an inoperative position relative to the driving pinion; spring means acting on said detachable latch for urging said associated drum gear forwardly and into engagement with the driving pinion; a chain trained around and having one end attached to said drum and the other end trained over said roller; and a control lug on said chain for engaging with and actuating said trip bar.

2. A winch, comprising: a drive shaft having a pinion and cam means mounted rotatively-rigid thereon; a pivotally displaceable winding drum; a gear mounted rotatively-rigid with said drum, said gear being disposed to be engageable with said pinion, and being normally inoperatively spaced therefrom; cable means connected to said drum, its free end being adapted to be connected to a mass; latch means for releasably holding said gear in said normally inoperative position, said latch means supportingly engaging said cable means intermediate its free end and the drum, and being releasably operative by a pull on said cable means; push rod means coactable with said cam for thrusting said gear into its normally inoperative position, and into engagement with said latch means, the push rod being normally inoperatively spaced from said cam; means for controlling the engagement of the push rod and the cam, said means having a normally inoperative position; a stop lug secured to said cable means for actuating said controlling means; and spring urged means for returning the push rod and the controlling means to their normally inoperative position.

3. A winch, comprising: a drive shaft having a pinion thereon; a pivotally displaceable winding drum; a gear mounted rotatively-rigid with said drum, said gear being engageable with said pinion, and being normally inoperatively spaced thereform; cable means connected to said drum, said cable means having a free end adapted to be connected to a litter scoop; a latch means for releasably holding said gear in said normally inoperative position, said cable means being trained over said latch means, and said latch means being releasably responsive to a jerk on said cable means; a cam mounted rotativelyrigid on said shaft; a push rod pivotally associated with said gear and being engageable with said cam, operative to thrust said gear into its normally inoperative position and into engagement with said latch means, the free push rod end being normally inoperatively spaced from said cam; a stop lug fixed to said cable means; controlling means engaging with said push rod for impelling said push rod into engagement with said cam, actuated by said stop lug, said impelling means having a normally inoperative position; and 'for resetting the push rod and said controlling means into their normally inoperative position.

4. A winch, comprising: driving means; an angularly displaceable Winding drum driveable by said driving means, said drum being normally inoperatively spaced from said driving means; cable means connected to said drum; releasable means for releasably holding said drum in said normally inoperative spaced position, said releasable means supportingly engaging said cable means, and said releasable means being releasably responsive to a pull on said cable means; a cam driven by said driving means; a push rod associated with said drum and being engageable with said cam, operable to thrust said drum into its normally inoperative position and into engagement with said releasable means; a stop lug fixed to said cable means control means for disposing said push rod into engagement with said cam, actuated by said stop lug; and means for resetting the push rod and said control means into their normally inoperative position.

5. A winch, comprising: driving means; a displaceable Winding drum driveable by said driving means, said drum being normally inoperatively spaced from said driving means; cable means connected to said drum; releasable means for releasably holding said drum in said normally inoperative position, said releasable means supportingly engaging said cable means and being releasably responsive to a pull on said cable means; cam means driven by said driving means; movable means associated with said drum and being envageable with said cam means, operative to reset the drum into its normally inoperative position and into engagement with said releasable means; and a stop lug fixed to said cable means operative to actuate said movable means into engagement with said cam means.

6. A winch, comprising: driving means; displaceable winding means driveable by said driving means, said winding means being normally inoperatively spaced from said driving means; cable means connected to said Winding means; control means on said cable means; releasable means for securing said winding means in said normally inoperatively spaced position, said releasable means being associated with said cable means, and being responsive to a pull on said cable means; cam means actuable by said driving means; and movable means associated with sai' Winding means and being engageable with said cam means, operative to engage said winding means with said releasable said movable means being actuated by said control means on said cable.

7. A winch, comprising: driimg means; a pivotally displaceable Winding drum driveable by said driving means, said drum being normally inoperatively spaced from said driving means; cable means connected to said drum, and having its free end adapted to be connected to a movable obiect; releasable means for releasably holding said drum in said normally inoperatively spaced positron, said releasable means supportingly engaging said free end and being releasably operative by a component of a force applied to said cable means; control means mounted on said cable means, and reset means for re- (ill setting the drum to its inoperative spaced position and into engagement with said releasable means, said reset means being controlled by said control means.

8. A winch, comprising: driving means; an angularly displaceable winding drum drivea'ole by said driving means, said drum being normally inoperatively spaced from said driving means; cable means connected to said drum, and having its free end adapted to be connected to a mass; releasable means for releasably holding said drum in said normally inoperative position, said releasable means supportingly engaging said cable intermediate its ends and being operably responsive to a pull on said cable means; control means carried by said cable means; and reset means for resetting the drum to its normally inoperative position and into engagement with said releasable means, said reset means being controlled by said control means.

9. A Winch, comprising: driving means; a displaceable winding drum driveable by said driving means, said drum being normally inoperativeiy spaced from said driving means; cable means connected to said drum; releasable means for holding said drum in said spaced inoperative position, said releasable means supportingly engaging said cable means and being releasably responsive to a pull on said cable means; control means carried by said cable means; and reset means for resetting the drum to its inoperative spaced position and into engagement with said releasable means, said reset means being controlled by said control means.

10. A Winch, comprising: driving means displaceable winding means driveable by said driving means, said Winding means being normally inoperatively spaced from said driving means; cable means connected to said winding means; releasable means for securing said Winding means in said inoperative position, said releasable means being associated with said cable means, and being responsive to a pull on said cable means; control means on said cable means; and reset means for resetting the winding means to its normal inoperative position and into engagement with said releasable means, said reset means being controlled by said control means.

11. A winch, comprising: winding means and driving means for said winding means, relatively displaceable and normally inoperatively spaced one from the other; cable means connected to said Winding means; releasable means for releasably engaging said winding means and said driving means in said inoperatively spaced relation, said releasable means supportingly engaging said cable means and being releasably responsive to a pull on said cable means; control means carried by said cable means; and reset means for re-establishing said inoperative spaced relation and said releasable engagement, said reset means being controlled by said control means.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

